What direction does DNA polymerase only travel in?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the directionality of DNA polymerase during DNA replication. Specifically, it seeks to understand the orientation in which DNA polymerase synthesizes new DNA strands.
Answer
5' to 3'
DNA polymerase travels in the 5' to 3' direction.
Answer for screen readers
DNA polymerase travels in the 5' to 3' direction.
More Information
DNA polymerase can only add nucleotides to the 3'-OH end of a growing chain, leading to synthesis in the 5' to 3' direction.
Tips
A common mistake is confusing the direction of synthesis with the direction in which the template strand is read, which is 3' to 5'.
Sources
- The web page with info on - Example Source - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Molecular mechanism of DNA replication (article) | Khan Academy - khanacademy.org
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